Archives for 2019

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Psalms ‭103:1-5‬

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

‬‬ “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”‬‬

Ephesians ‭2:8-9‬

In the days we are living in with the challenges we face as Christians, it would do us good to consider the wonderful benefits that we have in salvation. In light of these wonderful benefits our explanation of salvation should be exciting when we are explaining salvation to a friend, relative or fellow worker.

Maybe if we would just explain what actually happens when a person is born again (regenerated) it would take some pressure off our witnessing to others and we would see more people accept salvation through a Jesus Christ.

Here are steps that help in our witness to others the wonderful benefits of salvation.

In the first place we should explain that at the moment we repent of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are born again (born from above). Yes some people do get offended as soon as you mention the word sin and want to know why we have to even bring that nasty subject of sin into our explanation? Because the Bible says that

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”

Romans 3:23

and those who are not saved need to recognise that they are actually sinners and that

the wages of sin is death, but God has a special gift,

Romans 6:23

if they want it, called eternal life.

This is very important to help them understand that they have a choice to make.

They must exercise their will because this is between them and a Holy God.
This is their eternal destiny, but their choice is theirs and nobody can make that for them.

( “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”)

Ephesians 2:8-9

It also helps to include Romans 5:6-10

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Romans 5:6-10

Which explains our terrible condition without salvation but then the wonder of Christ’s love for us and the fact that it is His blood that washes away our sin, not water,

“John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,” ‭

Revelation 1:4-5

But this is just a small part of the story when we consider the benefits of God in our lives as believers in Jesus Christ. It is just the beginning.
We learn from the Bible that many other wonderful changes occur when God saves a sinner.

Did you notice that God saves the sinner, not the person explaining the Gospel, for Paul says that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, that really takes the pressure off the one doing the explaining.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Romans 1:16

I believe the Holy Spirit is going to empower you so you can explain the following benefits to someone who is in need of salvation.

1. THE BELIEVER IS ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED

“to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

Ephesians 1:6

This is important for it means that the believer as he/she stands before a Holy God, he/she stands before God in all the acceptability of His beloved Son and not their own filthy rags of their righteousness .

“But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.”‬‬

Isaiah 64:6

The wonder of it is that God sees the believer “in Christ.”

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”)

2 Corinthians 5:17

It also means that the believer is welcomed in God’s presence as long as Christ is welcome, and that is forever.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:4-7

2. AT ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST AS SAVIOUR HE/SHE BECOMES A CHILD OF GOD

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

John 1:12

How Great is that! Think about it, would you not feel honoured if you were the child of a great world leader?

Isn’t being the son or daughter of the God of the universe, the eternal ruler of the universe a much greater honour? To be able to say, “I am a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords” than that of being a child of some great earthly leader, even though that would be a great honour, it cannot compare to being God’s son or daughter.

I mean even the mighty angels in heaven bow to God and a day is coming when all of creation will bow before God, saved and unsaved alike.

“For it is written: “ As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”

Romans 14:11

“and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;”)

Philippians 2:11-12

3. AT SALVATION THE BELIEVER IS JUSTIFIED

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Romans 5:1

God, the Judge, declares the believing sinner to be “not guilty” and looks upon him or her as if they had never sinned. The reason God can do this is because His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ has died as a substitute and has borne all the punishment which the believing sinner should have borne.

This is really awesome, because of making a simple decision to trust the completed work of Christ (His death, burial and resurrection)the believing sinner can now stand, without guilt in God’s sight.

How great is it that the believer will never come into condemnation but has passed from death into life.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

John 5:24

The excitement continues as we find out that:‬‬

4. AS BELIEVERS WE ARE INDWELT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Ephesians 1:13-14

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”)‬‬‬‬

1 Corinthians 6:19

What a glorious benefit, the Bible plainly teaches that God, the Holy Spirit, actually dwells within each believer until the day of redemption.

“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 John 4:12-13

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”) ‬‬

‭‭Romans 8:9

Think about it, the believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is God. Because of this sacred privilege, the child of God should always be careful what he/she says, where he/she goes and what he/she does. ‬‬
(I Corinthians 6:19-20) Our benefits continue to get more exciting with each new thought about salvation.

5. WHEN A PERSON BECOMES A BELIEVER HE OR SHE ALSO BECOMES AN HEIR OF GOD

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”‬‬‬‬

Romans‬ ‭8:15-17‬ ‭

Yes it’s true one can go from the poorest person on the face of the earth to the riches!

How does that happen? Well God is the Creator of the universe and He owns all things.

God’s children are promised that they will one day reign with the Lord Jesus Christ over all the earth. Remember, God owns all things and that includes not just the earth but the entire universe.

At that point the believer will possess all things with Christ. Gold is not even considered that important in heaven, even the streets are made of gold. The wealth of the entire universe belongs to God and believers are co-heirs with Him. Wait, don’t get overly excited yet there is much more to come.

6. WHEN A PERSON ACCEPTS CHRIST AND HIS COMPLETED WORK AS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6

‭‭THEY ALSO RECEIVE THE DIVINE NATURE

“by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”‬‬

2 Peter 1:4

In view of that truth they now have new desires, new ambitions, a new hatred of sin, a new Father, a new home, a new fruit and a new love for God and fellow believers.

God’s purpose for every one of His children is that they become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ by daily studying the Bible, memorising Scripture and obeying (applying) God’s Word.

“9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.”

Psalm 119:9, 11

In being obedient by being under control of the Holy Spirit (who is the teacher for the Christian), they mature in their new Christian walk as they learn how to live Holy lives. (Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,”‬‬

‭‭Ephesians 5:18

“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”‬‬

1 Peter 1:15-16

Hold on now we are not quite finished with what else we gain by the benefits of being a child of God.

7. THE BELIEVER ALSO ENJOYS THE CONSTANT PROTECTION OF GOD

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28

Nothing happens to the Christian, no matter how terrible or tragic, that God cannot overrule and make something good come from it. (Romans 8:28) Every trial, test and discipline, works for our spiritual benefit.

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Romans 5:3-5

8. THE BELIEVER ALSO HAS ADDITIONAL PROMISES FROM GOD WHICH ARE VERY EXCITING:

God will never give the believer anything too hard for him/her.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13

God also guarantees that you can do everything God wants you to do as long as it’s in His will.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13

The believer is safe in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

John 10:27-30

God will always supply the needs of His child. (Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”‬

‭‭Philippians 4:19

A believer can even love their enemy through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within the believer, and there are many more blessings the believer receives at salvation but those the new believer will learn of as they study the Word of God.

In view of the marvellous provisions which God has made available to His children, every Christian should show his/her appreciation in at least two ways.

We should never cease to praise and worship God for his salvation.
We should give our life in willing service to the One who gave His life on Calvary’s cross.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” ‭‭‬

Romans 12:1-2

1. Presentation: We are to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice (v1)
2. Separation: We are to avoid conforming to the world’s ways (v 2)
3. Transformation: We are to renew our minds and thus change our lives (v2)
4. Demonstration: We are to prove we belong to God by doing His will (v2)

I have come up with this equation over the years.
Demonstration + Proclamation = Credibility Acts 3:1-26

May God richly bless you
Pastor Dennis